Posted on 08/28/2004 4:17:28 PM PDT by SamAdams76
Singer Laura Branigan passed away in her sleep on the evening of Thursday, August 26, 2004. Her death was apparently caused by a brain aneurysm.
Laura was only 47 years old, having been born on July 3, 1957 in Brewster, New York.
Laura had 13 charted hits in the Billboard Top 100 spanning the years 1982 to 1990, including five consecutive Top 20 smashes during the mid-1980s.
Those hits were as follows:
Gloria - #2 in July 1982
Solitaire - #7 in March 1983
How Am I Supposed To Live With You - #12 in July 1983 (#1 for three weeks on the Adult Contemporary charts)
Self Control - #4 in April 1984
The Lucky One - #20 in August 1984
Gloria was also backing vocalist with recording artist Leonard Cohen. As well, she guest-starred on the TV show CHiPs and appeared in the 1984 movie Mugsy's Girl.
Laura recently was cast as Janis Joplin in some Broadway play, earning rave reviews. Ironically, Janis Joplin herself died prematurely, but in Janis' case, it was self-inflicted by booze and heroin.
Damn. That one hit me.
Whenever the wife had "Field Day" in the house, we'd put on "Gloria" and get pumped listening to it. Made the work a lot easier.
They don't show up much in photos, but as my boy said, she had the TRIPPIEST eyes - VERY pale blue that looked into your soul.
I know - talked with her one time at one of the old Solid Gold shows and told her she was a super talent. She said "Thanks", smiled, and gave my shoulder a squeeze. Fried every damn brain cell I had and I haven't been the same ever since.
Don't know why she never really caught on - she could really belt out the songs and had a beautiful personality that matched her looks.
So sorry to hear this. "Self Control" was one of my favorites. Nicolette Larson also died of a brain aneursym some years ago. Two lovely and talented ladies.
I Will Survive, Tarzan Boy, Relax.....
bump
How sad. I hated her song 'Gloria' but did like 'Self Control'.
Welcome to Free Republic.
Lucky you. The best cd my library carries is Jim Nabor's Greatest Hits.
how'd I miss that? what happened?
*****
hmm, let's see...celebrities dying in unusual quantities during an election year...hmmmm..../sarcasm "for those of you in Loma Linda"
"I Will Survive" is such a great song to lipsync.
Hopefully Laura is now with her husband. I know he passed away a few years ago.
Oh my goodness! God Bless her! I always thought she had such a powerful, lovely voice!
1957, way too young.
Laura and her husband, together again....
I think that was Gloria Gaynor.
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